The present invention relates in general to milling machines, and more particularly to a press brake milling machine for straightening the tool holding edges of a press brake.
In a press brake machine, the upper moving slide member and the lower bed member hold and support the tooling which bends the workpiece to a desired configuration. The upper moving slide member and the lower bed member of a press brake become malformed from use. When the edges of the press brake that hold the tooling are stressed beyond their elastic limit, they become bent or bowed. As a consequence thereof, the press brake is worn and loses accuracy. When this condition exists, the tooling has voids or spaces along its length during the operation of the press brake. Generally, there is more space at the center of the edges than at the ends of the edges.
The U.S. patent to Gilmore, No. 3,935,788, issued on Feb. 3, 1976, discloses a portable milling machine for milling rectangular doors. The milling machine includes a frame, which is bolted to a workpiece to be machined. Supported by the frame are longitudinally extending tracks for longitudinal movement. A motor and pulley drive rotate longitudinally extending threaded shafts to impart longitudinal movement to the carriages along the tracks. The carriages support transversely extending tracks. Movable along the transverse tracks is a carrier on which is mounted a milling cutter. A motor rotates transversely extending threaded shafts to move the carrier in the transverse direction along the transverse tracks. A motor rotates the cutter head through a threaded shaft for moving the cutter head in its axial direction.
In the U.S. patent to Zavick, No. 3,060,813, issued on Oct. 30, 1962, there is disclosed a stand on which is clamped a workpiece. The stand supports a carriage for horizontal movement. Mounted on the carriage is a gear case that has vertical movement relative to the carriage. A spindle is mounted on the gear case and supports a milling tool for axial movement and rotation. Thus, the milling tool has adjustable movement in three mutually perpendicular directions.
In the U.S. patent to Sprung, No. 3,762,273, issued on Oct. 2, 1973, there is disclosed a milling machine for plate edge preparation. A workpiece is supported by a centrally located table so that the plate edges of the workpiece extend longitudinally. On each side of the work table are located tracks. A carriage rides along each set of rails. Thus, there are a pair of transversely-spaced carriages to travel along the longitudinal edges of the workpiece. A motor driven worm screw shaft drives each carriage in the longitudinal direction. On each carriage is an adjustably slidable mill head base. Thus, the mill head base has transverse movement relative to the carriage. A motor driven mill head is secured to each base and has a cutter blade to mill the longitudinal edge of the workpiece. Thus, there are confronting cutter blades to mill parallel longitudinal edges of a workpiece simultaneously. Each cutter blade has longitudinal and transverse movement relative to the workpiece.